Violet Summer: Prisoner of Azkaban

Chapter 24: Shadow of Doubt

 Harry had been grappling with an overwhelming amount of stress over the past few weeks, particularly concerning the upcoming Quidditch match and the elusive Firebolt broom that he desperately wanted back. To add to his worries, the Patronus practice with Lupin had not been as successful as he had hoped.

As he sluggishly made his way through the corridors towards the Great Hall for dinner, he was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he failed to notice Toni's absence at first. Hermione and Ron exchanged nervous glances as they observed Harry's curiosity about her whereabouts.

"Apparently she's having dinner with her uncle," Hermione said, trying to address his immediate concern.

"A bit strange, isn't it? Probably something to do with the upcoming memory," Ron added, offering his thoughts on the matter. Harry turned back to his plate, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside him. "Are you doing alright?"

"I'm fine... just a lot on my mind," Harry replied, taking a bite of his food.

Hermione couldn't help but bring up the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes and how Wolfe hadn't attended any since showing them the first memory. She pointed out that Wolfe had noticed them at the Three Broomsticks, especially Harry.

"He said it all in the pub. He knew I heard," Harry snapped, trying to dismiss their concerns. Ron and Hermione exchanged another look, reluctant to let the matter go.

"So we're not going to talk about it? We all agreed that something was off," Ron persisted.

"I know we discussed it before. I heard what he said about Black, but I don't believe Wolfe had anything to do with Black getting inside the castle," Harry asserted firmly.

"How can we be sure, though?" Ron asked, echoing Hermione's doubts.

"Wolfe was friends with Black and your parents. Maybe he's a double agent as well. We know his father is a You-Know-Who supporter. Maybe Wolfe is working for him and involved in all of this," Hermione speculated, trying to decipher the enigmatic Wolfe Rothley. "Think about it."

"I have been thinking about it. Every day and night," Harry retorted, trying to control his frustration. "Wolfe knows more, that much is clear. But he mentioned that during the time he was meant to be the Secret-Keeper for my parents, things were unraveling. I can only assume it was with Hiram and Mathias. His family, the wife and child he mentioned, might have been the starting point of this whole blood war. I may be wrong, but something in my gut tells me that. I can't fault him for stepping back from protecting my parents due to his own loss. We don't know what he went through or what he saw. What I saw at the Three Broomsticks was a grieving man, an angry man who knew more than what was revealed. But I won't accuse him of anything, especially not since he is Toni's uncle."

Hermione and Ron seemed to soften as they considered Harry's perspective. The notion of Wolfe being Toni's uncle had weighed heavily on them, fueling their doubts and mistrust. They felt the guilt of suspecting Wolfe's involvement with Black and the castle breach. While they battled with their trust in Wolfe, they also recognized the possibility of his connection to Black and the events at Hogwarts. The uncertainty surrounding Wolfe only added to the complexity of the situation, leaving them with more questions than answers.

***

After dinner, Toni made her way down the stairs of the teacher's tower, deep in thought about the discussion she had just had with her uncle regarding the next memory for Defense Against the Dark Arts. His unusual softness and kind gestures were concerning her, and she couldn't shake the worry for his state of mind.

As she neared the bottom of the stairs, she was startled by the appearance of Peeves, the mischievous poltergeist. He grinned menacingly at her and mentioned having some news.